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Giannelli Imbula
- Thread starter Jordinho
- Start date
DubaiSpur
Ian Walker
Is that still likely to be the case, given that they've just flogged Payet to Spam for 15 million euros?
DubaiSpur
Ian Walker
Well, good for us then. No chance we could prise Batshuayi off of them along with Imbula, I suppose? I know he's supposed to be the replacement for Gignac next season, but if they're really suffering financially...?
I don't actually think they need money, what they need, is to comply with Financial Fair Play. The loan gets Imbula's wages off the bill and if there's an option to buy, they can show that as likely future income. On the other hand, the loan works for Inter, as they're paying out a minimal amount now, so complying with this year's FFP is easier, as it's not until next season that they splash out for the permanent signing.
I
indianspur
Guest
According to a report in French publication Le Parisien, Marseille star Giannelli Imbula would prefer a move to Southampton over his fellow suitors.
The 22-year-old midfielder is one of the hottest properties on the market this summer, attracting plenty of interest across Europe following a wonderful campaign in the south of France.
As per Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sports Italia, Inter Milan are close to sealing a deal for Imbula, whereas reports in the French publication RMC Sport claims Tottenham Hotspur have seen a £9.2 million bid turned away.
Spurs are intent on adding to their midfield this summer, yet targeting Imbula could be a non-starter if recent reports are to be believed as they indicate the player prefers a move to Southampton.
“Giannelli Imbula prefers a move to Southampton. The deal would consist of an initial €2m loan fee followed by an €18m obligatory buy-out clause at the end of the season” reports from RMC Sport claim.
With Morgan Schneiderlin all but assured of leaving the club this summer, Southampton will have plenty of cash to play around with and a big void to fill in that midfield.
Imbula was one of France’s top defensive midfielders last season, averaging an impressive 89.8% pass completion rate as he started all but one French top-flight encounter.
At 22, the Saints would be acquiring a player perfectly suited to the Premier League and one with huge potential to go on and become a leading figure for the club.
The 22-year-old midfielder is one of the hottest properties on the market this summer, attracting plenty of interest across Europe following a wonderful campaign in the south of France.
As per Gianluca Di Marzio of Sky Sports Italia, Inter Milan are close to sealing a deal for Imbula, whereas reports in the French publication RMC Sport claims Tottenham Hotspur have seen a £9.2 million bid turned away.
Spurs are intent on adding to their midfield this summer, yet targeting Imbula could be a non-starter if recent reports are to be believed as they indicate the player prefers a move to Southampton.
“Giannelli Imbula prefers a move to Southampton. The deal would consist of an initial €2m loan fee followed by an €18m obligatory buy-out clause at the end of the season” reports from RMC Sport claim.
With Morgan Schneiderlin all but assured of leaving the club this summer, Southampton will have plenty of cash to play around with and a big void to fill in that midfield.
Imbula was one of France’s top defensive midfielders last season, averaging an impressive 89.8% pass completion rate as he started all but one French top-flight encounter.
At 22, the Saints would be acquiring a player perfectly suited to the Premier League and one with huge potential to go on and become a leading figure for the club.
Maltese Falcon
Niko Kranjcar
Would be a massive reality check if that were true...
milo
Jack L. Jones
Why? Maybe he thinks that he would get more playing time there or would do better at a less high profile club at this stage of his career. Or maybe there is nothing in the story.
Maltese Falcon
Niko Kranjcar
Because a player who will cost at least 15 - 20 million will not be bought to warm the bench (unless you are a club bankrolled by oil or American money) - that applies to both us as well as Soton. If he chooses them it's because he sees them as a better prospect than us...
Of course, as you say, this may all be a load of journalistic crap...
milo
Jack L. Jones
Why? There are plenty of other possible reasons.
Did Man U need a reality check when we got Bale?
Maltese Falcon
Niko Kranjcar
No - but that analogy is flawed. Bale was a raw 18 year old who obviously would get more opportunities with us seeing as Utd had Evra.
A better comparison for Imbula would be Schniederlin; if he were to chose us over Utd, then they would need a reality check! he won't though...
No it's not flawed - the point is that players don't always go to the biggest club interested for various factors. Can be money,location, career progression and more- it happens and isn't necessarily a reflection on the club he opts against...
Maltese Falcon
Niko Kranjcar
Fair enough so let's take your own list:
Money - we can offer better wages without doubt
Location - London or Southampton mmmmm...
Career progression - Our recent high profile sells have been to the likes of Real Madrid...
We also have no genuine defensive midfielder so no real competition for his place.
Get my drift?
milo
Jack L. Jones
Thinks that a lower profile club would be a better move at this stage of his career?
parklane1
Tony Galvin
Sounds about right.
DublinSpur
Scott Parker
Money - Southampton simply value him more than we do. They will make him the highest paid player at the club... hell, they will break their standard wage structure and offer him 80k / week in order to land him... they value him that much. Meanwhile Spurs see him as fourth choice on their wish-list for that position and wouldn't be willing to offer more than 50k because that's how much we value him. The notion that every team will make an identical assessment of the value of the player and are simply willing to offer their maximum wage every time there's a tiny bit of competition for a players signature is a bizarrely simplistic idea. And it's demonstrably false.
Location - He hates big capital cities. Southampton is a much better fit for him than London. Just like Marseilles it's a south-coast town... big enough but not too big. Also, his best mate is from Southampton and he spent several months there when he was a kid. Absolutely loves the place.
Career progression - He believes that being the main man, who is absolutely guaranteed to be the first name on the team-sheet, will showcase him better, even if Southampton is a smaller team. On top of which, he's a massive fan of Koeman and has wanted to work with him all his life.
Get my drift?
Is any of the above true? I have no idea... almost certainly most of it isn't. But it's frustrating to see otherwise intelligent people insist that "we can offer better wages" because it suits their argument. I just don't buy it, Maltese Falcon, that you honestly believe every club values every player at exactly the same level and are prepared to offer their highest wage to everyone - regardless of that internal valuation.
That stuff about not liking big cities; his mate from Southampton; his respect for Koeman. Sure, I made all that up. The point was to demonstrate that unless you are an honest-to-GHod ITK when it comes to Imbula, there is likely to be a shed-load of stuff you simply don't know about him that might affect his decision.
As milo has pointed out, there are countless reasons why a player might prefer one club over another. Pointless to speculate what they might be. Even more pointless to rush to judgements about what it might mean for the clubs involved.
Not least because it's all based on the opinion of a nameless (naturally) source. Do we not understand enough about agents and journalists by now to treat such stories with the contempt, or at least scepticism, that they deserve?
Not least because it's all based on the opinion of a nameless (naturally) source. Do we not understand enough about agents and journalists by now to treat such stories with the contempt, or at least scepticism, that they deserve?